“She’s dead,” I cried. I was sure it was a sign from the Lord that she was gone, so all I could do was comfort myself with memories. Princess loved unconditionally. Every time she snagged a mouse she would eat just part of it, and then bring the remains and lay them somewhere near the door as an offering for us. She moved in Emory’s shadow every time he went outside, softly meowing in adoration. Oh, how we are going to miss her!

I cried out to God, “Why did you let her show up at our door unannounced, let us fall in love with her, and then take her away?”

He answered, “The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. I am still in control.”

Still I questioned, “Why does 2009 have to go out on such a heartbreaking note?” He didn’t answer.

Then on the morning of New Year’s Eve Emory stepped out the back door and I heard him yell, “Rebecca! Come quick! Come see this!”

I hurried to the door and there stood our Princess, soaking wet, shivering in the intense cold, thin from not eating. We dried her fur, fed her all she could eat, and made her a warm bed. She crawled under the covers, gave a contented sigh and fell asleep.

Emory traced her tracks back to a large culvert that crosses our road at the bottom of the driveway. She had gone there, as usual, to drink of the water that’s always running through the culvert in wet weather. While she was inside the pipe the snow plow had come by and covered both ends of the pipe with giant piles of snow, sealing them off. She was trapped until it thawed enough to make an opening large enough for her to escape, and too far away for us to hear her cry. Obviously the dream Emory had was the Holy Spirit’s hint that she was in the running water. We just didn’t understand.

We could do nothing but rejoice as we remembered Lamentations 3:22-23. ”His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

What a way for 2009 to go!! Why not trust Him for yourself for 2010? --Rebecca Somoskey